Subject: (whorl) Wolfe News--from the Horse's Mouth

From: Patri10629 <patri10629 at aol.com>
Date: Thu, 10 Jun 1999 14:53:36 +0000

Dear Lupes,

Happy to report that Gene is well and writing. My wife and I had dinner with 
him and Rosemary June 8. And received permission to inform you all--this much:

Of course you know ON BLUE'S WATERS is due in September. The second Short Sun 
Book has been turned in--("IN GREEN'S JUNGLE" Correct Title?)--though not yet 
"bought" by TOR. Gene seems habitually modest/anxious about his work's 
chances of acceptance--can't imagine why. It's a touching trait, though. 

The third book "RETURN TO THE WHORL" has been with his agent and copyeditor 
for two months. He's waiting for their comments/corrections. Once received, 
he'll fix and send MS. off to TOR. This means the trilogy is All But done. 
And, barring any major revisions requested by his editor David G. Hartwell 
(unlikely), The Work is in the pipeline. 

And there was much rejoicing.

Amusing sidenote re: the short sun books: Gene said more or less, "I finally 
managed to write a trilogy! Having botched it with the New and Long Sun 
books."

Regret that I pressed him very little on his feelings about the Short Sun 
books. I was too busy examining the Inner Sanctum--his home. Where he writes: 
in the basement on a fancy typewriter with one of those screens that let you 
read the last 10 lines you've written. On a long table stacked 2 feet high 
with books and notes and manuscripts. The low ceiling is plastered with 
posters--book covers--his--convention posters, stuff. Books everywhere. A 
tower of manuscripts five feet tall. Awards and memorabilia displayed proudly 
in the living room. where hangs a lovely painting of Severian and Father 
Inire (stepping through a secret door)--A gift from an Austrailian 
artist/fan. The portrait of Severian very close, Gene said, to how he 
imagined him. Affectionately assaulted by their 2 dogs--Dilly and Calamity 
Jane.

Breaking News: What He's Writing Now...

Gene said he was working on a fantasy novel about Knights. (sic)  Lots of 
battles: clashing swords and clanging armor. (sic) He said he was inspired by 
his seven year old nephew (Now Ten). He confessed, "It's not very good. But I 
don't care. I'm having a great time."

Oh Lupes, it was Swell.

Patrick O'Leary

*This is WHORL, for discussion of Gene Wolfe's Book of the Long Sun.
*More Wolfe info & archive of this list at http://www.moonmilk.com/whorl/
*To leave the list, send "unsubscribe" to whorl-request at lists.best.com
*If it's Wolfe but not Long Sun, please use the URTH list: urth at lists.best.com

---

From: William H. Ansley <wansley at warwick.net>
Date: Thu, 10 Jun 1999 23:20:11 +0000

Patrick,

Thank you for sharing this report from the front with us.

Reading about your dinner with Wolfe, brought home to me the fact that he
is a real human being. I mean, sure, I knew this intellectually, but this
brought it home on a deeper level. And thinking this, I began to wonder
what he thinks of this list (I seem to recall someone here saying that he
looks at it, at least occasionally).

So, the next time you meet Wolfe, just if you feel like it, you could ask
him for me, does he think we're all out of our minds?

William Ansley

---

From: Patri10629 <patri10629 at aol.com>
Date: Fri, 11 Jun 1999 12:57:35 +0000

In a message dated 6/10/99 11:57:32 PM, wansley at warwick.net writes:

<< 

Dear William, et all,

Be glad to ask him. But I can hazard a guess: he is immensely flattered. At 
dinner he mentioned how pleased he was with Mantis's work. (Sorry. Michael--I 
can't recall the exact words!) And we are, of course, all lower incarnations 
of the original probing mantis. 

Hey, this is a man who spends his life trying to give pleasure to readers. 
Imagine how gratifying it must be to be regarded and analyzed so seriously. 
If we meant nothing to him he wouldn't be so proud of his tributes and 
awards. You don't think all those puns, jokes and puzzles are for his private 
gratification? 

And, of course, he thinks wer'e out of our minds:)

best as always,

Patrick